Tigard Area Chamber of Commerce to celebrate 70 years of service, community impact

Published 5:41 pm Tuesday, July 1, 2025

The Tigard Chamber of Commerce is planning to pull out all stops as it gears up to observe its 70th anniversary with a party.

The festivities — slated from 4:30-6:30 p.m. Thursday, July 11, at Summerlake Park — will be the organization’s platinum celebration, recognizing the vital role the chamber has played in the economic landscape of Tigard.

“This is a celebration of all the people and businesses who have made the Tigard chamber what it is today,” Megan De Salvo, CEO of the Tigard chamber, said in a statement. “From our small business owners to our civic leaders, board members and volunteers, this anniversary is really about honoring the community that continues to grow and support each other.”

Included in the free, family-friendly event will be food, cold drinks, lawn games, music, cake and the chance to connect with longtime and new members of Tigard’s business community. 

“It’s also an opportunity to reflect on the chamber’s past achievements and look forward to the exciting future ahead,” said a news release. 

The chamber was founded in 1955 after local services became strained as the former farming community began to be linked more closely as a suburb of Portland. 

That transformation included the added transportation options like the construction of Highway 99W in the 1950s and the planning of Interstate 5 in the 1960s. Highway 217 would further provide access to the city in the mid-1960s and early 1970s.

The chamber, which moved to its current location at 12345 S.W. Main St. on the top floor of Sympostium Coffee in 2013, also is credited with helping to push for the city to incorporate in 1961. 

Today, the chamber hosts more than 100 face-to-face networking opportunities each year. 

It also sponsors the Tigard Farmers Market. Founded in 1993 by dedicated community members, the market came under the leadership of the chamber in 2012, running 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Sundays from May through October at Universal Plaza.